Saddle construction



April 18, 1944. w, FAULHABER I 2,347,093

SADDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 2 0, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y Y JP H .3 Ijg; INVENTOR. v EULA/VD WHOM/136R ATTORNEY.

April 18, 1944.

R. w. FAULHABE R SADDLE CONSTRUCTION"- Filed Jan; 20, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. POAAALD w- FA 01 H1435]? BY 8' ATTORNEYSPatented Apr. 18, 1944 SADDLE CONSTRUCTION Roland W. Faulhaber,Monroeville, Ohio, assignor to The Faulhaber Company, Monroeville, Ohio,a corporation of Ohio Application January 20, 1938, Serial No. 185,940

22 Claims.

This invention relates to saddles for bicycles or the like and moreparticularly to an improved spring mounting and resilient cushioningassembly for the seat portion of a saddle.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a saddle constructionin which a relatively rigid seat member is resiliently supported withrespect to a reach or saddle post truss in a manner conducive to comfortand freedom from shock while in use. More specifically it is among theobjects of my invention to provide a saddle in accordance with thepreceding object in which the forward end of the saddle is bothpivotally and resiliently supported with respect to the reach by amember adapted to simultaneously pivot and flex with respect to thereach. It is a further object of my invention to provide a saddle inwhich the rear portion of the seat is supported with respect to a reachor truss by threading the convolutions of a spring through spacedapertures in the reach and thence upwardly against the seat. It is afurther object of my invention to provide a saddle construction inaccordance with the preceding object wherein the springs are providedwith reduced lower end convolutions so that the spring may be threadedupwardly through the reach and thereafter secured to the seat portion sothat a single anchoring device in the seat portion may function tomaintain the spring in operative position. It is a further object of myinvention to provide a saddle construction according to the precedingobjects in which the truss or reach comprises a unitary strap of metalshaped and arranged in a manner which most efliciently utilizes thestress resisting ability of the metal in the reach or truss. It is astill further object of my invention to provide a new and improvedspring assembly for a saddle construction which may be assembled as aunit and thereafter secured to a seat portion. It is a further object ofmy invention to provide a saddle construction in accordance with thepreceding object wherein the resilient mounting of the nose portions andrear portion of the seat are operatively connected to getherindependently of the reach member. Further objects and advantagesrelating to simplicity of construction and economy of manufacture willappear from the following description and the appended drawings wherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional showing of a saddle constructedaccording to my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view looking from the underside of the saddle shownin Figure l;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the reach illustrating the manner inwhich a spring is secured to the reach;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the spring wire blank employed to form thespring support for the forward end of the saddle;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the spring wire support made from theblank of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view with parts broken away showing a modifiedform of spring support for the rear portion of the saddle;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of a modified spring support assemblyfor the seat portion of a saddle which may be assembled as a unitindependently of the seat portion; the seat portion being omitted; V

Figure 8 is a plan view looking from the underside of the modifiedconstruction illustrated in Figure 7.

One form of saddle made in accordance with my invention comprises areach member extending longitudinally beneath a seat portion, a pair ofcoil springs interposed between the rear part of the seat portion andthe rear portion of the reach, and a pivoted resilient support extendingbeneath the forward end of the reach and the forward part of the seatportion. With this arrangement of parts briefly described the seat isefficiently supported with respect to the reach so that in response toseat loads flexing the seat, the forward part of the seat may not onlypivot or move with respect to the reach, but may also partake of avertical flexing movement. It will also be understood that with thesupporting ar-a rangement I have provided the seat portion may have alimited side to side flexing or floating movement with respect to thereach. Although the flexing capabilities of my saddle COIIStI'IlC'e.

tion above briefly described may not of themselves be new to this art,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the specific spring meansand mounting therefor contribute to the flexing capabilities of the seatportion in a manner more" economical and eflicient than those heretoforeprovided.

Referring specifically to the drawings the reachmember 5- preferablycomprises a flat piece of strap iron bent into a generally T-shape withthe two free ends 6 thereof terminating beneath the forward part of theseat. the T-shaped reach are preferably rounded as at 1 and said roundedportions are given a diameter, during the bending, corresponding roughlyto the inside diameter of the coil springs to be supported on the reach.The central portion-of the reach The return bends of is suitablyapertured to receive a clamping bolt H) adapted to extend through theeye II of the saddle post l2. The reach portions bearing against thesides of the saddle post eye may be provided with serrations or notchesl3 to cooperate with correspondingly shaped ridges M on the saddle posteye and when relatively adjusted a rigid connection between the reachand the saddle post can be maintained by tightening the clamping boltID.

The seat portion of the saddle indicated generally as at l5 preferablyincludes a sheet metal base I! and a cushioning member It. The cushionmember may be suitably covered by leather or the like and secured to thebase I! in the manner particularly shown and described in my copendingapplication Serial No. 167,129, filed October 4, 1937, and issued asPatent No. 2,241,250 on May 6, 1941. It will be understood, as thedescription proceeds, that other seat constructions may be well suitedfor support by the spring and reach assembly of the instant application.

The forward or nose portion of the saddle according to my invention issupported by a coil spring indicated in its entirety at (Figure 5). Thecoil spring is made up from a hairpin shaped blank 2| (shown in Figure4) and the bight portion 22 of the hairpin blank 2| is formed with asingle convolution as at 23 so as to embrace a bushing 24 disposedbetween the free forward end portions 6 of the reach, or is otherwisesuitably secured to the bushing. A bolt or rivet 25 extends through thebushing to mount the same on the reach and the bushing is proportionedto turn freely on bolt, rivet or the like 25. The intermediate sectionsof the sides of the hairpin blank 2| are each provided with a suitablenumber of coil spring convolutions as at 26 and the free ends 21, in theform shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, lead from said convolutions to a pointwhere they may bear against the underside of the sheet metal seat basell. In this form, a transverse plate 29 is carried by a depending bolt38 on the base l1 and the outer ends of said plate 25; are proportionedto grip the free ends 27 of the spring and effectively secure them tothe base l1. It will be observed from the foregoing description and byreference to Figure 1 that a seat load applied to the forward part ofthe seat may either flex the coil spring 29 and/or pivot the coil rspring about the pin 25.

To support the rear part of the seat iii with respect to the reach 1preferably employ, at least for the more inexpensive saddleconstructions, a

pair of coiled wire compression springs 32 having, at their lower ends,convolutions 33 of reduced diameter. The rear end of the reach isarranged so that the coil springs may be screwed into position. As shownin Figure 3 opposed perforations 34 and 35 are formed in the roundedparts 1 of the reach and the large diameter free end 36 of the coilspring is threaded through the apertures 34 and 35. As the spring 32 isadvanced upwardly through the reach perforations it will be observedthat the reduced diameter convolutions 33 grip the embraced part of thereach. The free end of spring 36 may then be secured to the seat base bythreading the same through a depending tongue 33 or by securing the sameto the base with a bolt, rivet or the like.

From the above described connections between the spring 32, the reachand the seat l7, it will be observed that a single fastening means suchas 38 functions not only to secure the spring to the set, but alsofunctions to .secure the spring in its threaded position on the reach.It will also be appreciated that by arranging the strap metal reach withthe flat sides thereof in substantially vertical planes, the portions ofthe reach on each side of its attachment to the saddle post functions ascantilever beams with the greatest volume of the metal most efficientlydisposed with respect to the neutral axis of the beam. Among theadvantages growing out of the edgewise disposition of the flat parts ofthe truss is that the central part 3 of the truss on each part of thesaddle post eye i may respond readily to a drawing up of the nut l5 andthat a more or less resilient grip is maintained on the saddle post eyet during an angular adjustment of the truss or reach. It will be.apparent that these advantages may be obtained with many other specificarrangements permitting screwing of the springs into position.

Where it is desired to support the rear end of the seat with respect tothe truss by spring means having both tension and compression action inresponse to a seat load, I prefer to accomplish this by the meansillustrated in Figure 6 wherein a spring 62 is threaded upwardly througheach side 1 of the reach. The springs 32 include a compression coilsection 43 between the reach and the seat base H and a tension coilsection M beneath the reach, A U-shaped bail 45 may be secured to theseat by a clip 45 and the depending legs Ill. of the bail arranged toproject downwardly through the coil springs 42 and be secured at theirends to the lower convolutions of the tension section by spaced clampingnuts 48 and washers 49. It will be observed that in the construction ofFigure 6 a seat load will cause the upper convolution 50 of thecompression section 43 to bear against the seat and will simultaneouslyoccasion a distension of the tension Section 44. The type of springmounting in this modification while being somewhat more expensive thanthat of the embodiment first described provides the additional springaction desired par ticularly in larger saddles and will co-operate withthe forward seat support 20 in a manner similar to that previouslydescribed.

In Figures '7 and 8 there is illustrated a modified form of spring seatassembly embodying the features of the present invention. The saddle ofFigures 7 and 8 is similar to that shown in Figure 6 having certainadditional features which are particularly desirable in the moreexpensive types of saddles. The seat supporting means including thereach and springs may be assembled as a complete unit and thereaftereasily and simply afiixed to the seat portion. In this modification thefree ends 27 of the coil spring 23, supporting the nose portion of theseat, are extended rearwardly and anchored to the legs 47 of the U-shaped bail 45, in any suitable manner, for ex ample, by looping themthereabout as shown at 53 in Figure '7. The bail 45 is therebymaintained in position with respect to the seat without the use of theclips 46 shown in Figure 6. For securing the rear portion of the springassembly to the corresponding portion of the seat the free end of theupper convolution 53 of each of the springs 42 is formed with an eyelet5| which is adapted to be secured to the plate I! by means of a bolt 52carried thereby.

In assembling the saddle construction shown in Figures 7 and 8 theportions 43 of a pair of springs 42 (see Figure 6) are threaded throughthe apertures 34 and 35 of the rounded portions 1 of the reach 5 untilthe lower side of the reach engages the upper convolution of each of thecompression coil sections 44 of the spring. The coil spring 20 is thenmounted on the forward portion of the reach 5, as hereinabove described,the free ends thereof having been previously secured to the legs 41 ofthe bail 45. The legs 41 of the bail are then projected downwardlythrough the coil spring 42 and are secured at their ends to the lowerconvolutions of the tension section by spaced clamping nuts 48 andwashers 49. The spring assembly so formed is a substantial unit and maybe easily aflixed to a seat portion by securing the eyelets of thesprings 42 to the bolts 52 at the rear of the seat and assembling theplate 29 and bolt 30 to secure the forward portion of the ends 21, ofthe spring 20 to the nose portion of the seat.

While I have shown and described different forms of my invention inconsiderable detail, it will be observed by those skilled in the artthat many variations may be made therein without departing from thescope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

- I claim:

1. A saddle construction comprising a seat, a pair of coil springsspaced transversely beneath the rear part of said seat and a reachcomprising a strap bent upon itself to provide spaced supports for saidsprings, the width of said strap exceeding the thickness thereof andsaid width being arranged in a vertical plane normal to the seat, thewalls of said reach beneath the rear portion of the seat beingapertured, each of said springs having an intermediate convolutionextending through certain of said apertures with portions of suchconvolution disposed inside and other portions disposed outside the Wallof said reach, whereby said springs are secured to the reach.

2. A saddle construction including a reach, a seat and a coil springinterposed between the seat and the reach, means to secure the coilspring to the reach and seat comprising a vertical reach wall portionhaving spaced perforations receiving and supporting an intermediateconvo lution of the spring threaded therethrough with other convolutionsof the spring disposed below said reach wall portion and resilientlygripping the same, and a portionof said seat defining an opening toreceive and secure the upper end of the coil spring subsequent to itsrotation and resulting securement in the reach.

3. In a saddle construction, means to secure a coil spring between aseat and a reach com prising a reach portion bent to provide an arcu atewall section with the axis thereof extending vertically, spacedapertures formed in said arcuate wall section with one convolution ofsaid spring extending through said apertures and portions of saidconvolution disposed outside said arcuate wall section.

4. That method of securing a spring intermediate a seat and reach of abicycle saddle which comprises forming a reach with spaced verticalwalls having apertures, forming a coil spring with a free end adapted tobe secured to the seat and the other end with convolutions reduced indiameter, introducing said free end through said apertures and rotatingthe spring and reach with respect to each other to progressively threadthe coil spring through said apertures, into engagement with said seatand thereafter securing the free upper end convolution to the seat.

5. That method of securing a spring intermediate a seat and reach of abicycle saddle which comprises forming a reach with rounded portions ofa diameter substantially equal to the diameter of a spring to be securedthereto, providing said portions with apertures for threadedly receivinga spring, forming a coil spring with a tension portion and a compressionportion, the former having convolutions reduced in diameter, threadingsaid spring through said apertures and rotating the spring and reachwith respect to each other to position said spring on said reach withthe compression portion above the reach and the tension portion belowthe reach and one convolution disposed on both sides of one of saidrounded portions and extending through said apertures, and thereaftersecuring the free end of the spring to the seat.

6. A saddle construction having a seat and a reach with coil springsinterposed therebetween. said reach comprising a section of strap ironwith the flat sides thereof disposed in a vertical plane and having thestrap bent upon itself to provide a transversely extending supportsection beneath the rear part of the seat with the free ends of thestrap iron disposed beneath the forward end of the seat, the bentportions of said transversely extending part of the reach being providedwith spaced apertures receiving and supporting an intermediateconvolution of a coil spring threaded therethrough, the forward freeends of said reach portion being connected with the forward end of theseat.

7. A saddle construction including a seat and a reach, said reach havinga transversely extending part beneath the rear portion of the seat, theend of said part provided with spaced apertures, a coil spring having acompression section formed with spaced convolutions and a tensionsection terminating in a convolution of reduced diameter, said springthreaded through said spaced apertures and bearing against the undersideof said seat, a link secured to said seat at one end and secured to saidreduced end convolution of the tension section at the other end wherebyseat loads simultaneously compress that part of the spring disposedintermediate the reach and seat and distend that part of the springdisposed beneath the reach.

8. A saddle construction including a seat and a reach, said reach havinga transversely extending part beneath the rear portion of the seat, theforward portion of said seat being pivotally secured to the reach by aresilient wire spring, the end of said part provided with spacedapertures, a coil spring having a compression section formed with spacedconvolutions and a tension section terminating in a con volution ofreduced diameter, said spring threaded through said spaced apertures andbearing against the underside of said seat, a link secured to said seatat one end and secured to said reduced convolution of the tensionsection at the other end whereby seat loads simultaneously compress thatpart of the spring disposed intermediate the reach and seat and distendthat part of the spring disposed beneaththe reach.

9. A saddle construction including a seat, a reach disposed below theseat and having a vertical Wall portion with spaced perforationstherein, a spring having a plurality of coils of substantially uniformdiameter and spacing screwed through the spaced perforations in saidreach and disposed thereabove, the upper end of the spring being securedto the seat, said spring having a plurality of closely spaced coils ofdiminishing diameterdisposed below said reach.

10. A saddle construction including a seat and a reach, said reachhaving spaced vertical walls formed with apertures, a coil spring with afree end secured to the seat and the other end formed with convolutionsreduced in diameter, said spring being secured to said reach byintroducing said free end, prior to the securement there of to saidseat, through said apertures and rotating the spring with respect tosaid reach to progressively thread the coil spring through saidapertures.

11. A saddle for bicycles and the like comprising a pair of combinedtension and compression springs mounted on a reach member, a U-shapedbail having its free ends secured to the free ends of the tension partsof said springs, a nose coil secured to the opposite end of the reachand having rearwardly extending ends looped around into engagement withsaid U-shaped bail whereby said reach, said combined tension andcompression springs, said bail and said nose coil provide an assembledunit, and said assembled unit being secured to said seat member.

12. A saddle for bicycles and the like comprising a pair of combinedtension and compression springs mounted on a reach member, a U-shapedbail having its free ends secured to the free ends of the tension partsof said springs, a nose coil secured to the opposite end of the reachand having rearwardly extending ends bent into embracing engagement withsaid U-shaped bail whereby said reach, said combined tension andcompression springs, said bail and said nose coil provide an assembledunit, and said assembled unit having the free ends of the compressionparts of said first named springs and a portion of said nose coilsecured to the seat.

13. In a cycle saddle assembly, a pair of opposing clamping members, asaddle post having an eye at its upper end, said eye adapted to beprojected between said opposing clamping members, the confronting facesof said members being indentured and the opposite faces of the eye beinglikewise indentured, means whereby said post is adapted to be clampedbetween said clamping members.

14. In a cycle saddle assembly, a pair of opposed clamping memberssuspended from said saddle and secured thereto, a saddle post comprisinga hook end and stem portion, said hook having indentured opposite faces,the confronting faces of said clamping members being pro vided withcooperating indentured portions, said hook end of said post adapted tobe projected between said indentured portions and to be clampedtherewith.

15. In a cycle saddle assembly, a pair of longitudinally disposed reachmembers, a saddle post comprising a hook end and stem portion, said hookhaving indentured opposite faces, the confronting faces of said reachmembers being provided with cooperating indentured portions, said hookend of said post adapted to be projected between said indenturedportions of said reach members and the indentured opposite faces of saidpost adapted to be clamped therewith.

16. In a cycle saddle assembly, a pair of longitudinally disposed reachmembers, a saddle post comprising a hook end and stem portion, said hookhaving indentured opposite faces, the confronting faces of said reachmembers being provided with cooperating indentured portions, said hookend of said post adapted to be projected between said indenturedportions of said reach members and the indentured opposite faces of saidpost and to be maintained in looking engagement therewith.

17. In a cycle saddle assembly, a pair of opposed clamping memberssuspended from said saddle and secured thereto, a saddle post comprisinga, hook end and stem portion, said hook having indentured oppositefaces, the confronting faces of said clamping members being providedwith cooperating indentured portions, said hook end of said post adaptedto be projected between said indentured portions, means adapted to beprojected through aligned perforations disposed in said clamping membersand said hook portion and to clamp said members and post together.

18. A saddle construction including a seat, a reach and a saddle post,means including a spring connecting said reach to said seat, anintermediate portion of said reach comprising spaced substantiallyparallel metallic strips each having a width exceeding its thicknesswith the width arranged substantially vertically, said strips beingformed with aligned openings, said saddle post being disposed betweensaid strips and having a transverse opening therethrough and a fasteningmember extending through the aligned openings in said strips and thetransverse opening in said saddle post and pressing said stripslaterally toward each other into clamping engagement with the oppositesides of said saddle post.

19. A saddle construction including a seat, a reach and a saddle post,means including a spring connecting said reach to said seat, anintermediate portion of said reach comprising spaced substantiallyparallel metallic strips each having a width exceeding its thicknesswith the width arranged substantially vertically, said strips beingformed with aligned openings, said saddle post having an eye at itsupper end disposed between said strips and a fastening member extendingthrough the aligned apertures in said strips and through the eye in saidsaddle post and pressing said strips laterally toward each other intoclamping engagement with the eye of said saddle post.

20. A saddle construction including a seat, a reach and a saddle post,means including a spring connecting said reach to said seat, anintermediate portion of said reach comprising spaced substantiallyparallel metallic strips eachhaving a width exceeding its thickness withthe width arranged substantially vertically, said strips being formedwith aligned openings, said saddle post having a hook end disposedbetween said strips and a fastening member extending through the alignedapertures in said strips and through the hook end in said saddle postand clamping said strips laterally against the hook end of said saddlepost.

21. A saddle construction including a seat, a reach having a, verticalwall portion with spaced perforations therein disposed below the seat, aspring having a plurality of coils of substantially uniform diameter andspacing screwed through the perforations in said reach and disposedthereabove, the upper end of the spring being secured to the seat, saidspring having one coil passing through the perforations in said reachand a plurality of coils disposed below said reach, said last mentionedcoils gripping the reach between the same and said one coil and being ofsuch diameter and spacing as to resist their being screwed through saidreach.

22. A saddle construction including a seat, a reach extendinglongitudinally below the seat and having spaced portions formed tosupport 5 springs, each of said portions being formed with vertical wallportions having perforations therein, a pair of springs each having aplurality of coils of substantially uniform diameter and spacingstarting with the upper end of the spring and extending to anintermediate point, said coils being screwed through the perforations in10 closely spaced coils disposed below said reach.

ROLAND W. FAULl-IABER.

